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Once again, in spite of a global financial crisis, soccer clubs around Europe spent an incredible amount of money to sign players in January and this summer may not be any different.
Indeed, clubs spent a record $1.57 billion (£1.27bn) on transfers in the January transfer window, according to FIFA, with the Premier League doing most of the heavy lifting themselves at 57.3% of the total. But with two giants of the game in Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr) and Lionel Messi (Inter Miami) now taking their careers outside of Europe, who will step up?
Already there have been some big deals agreed ahead of the various transfer windows opening. Here are grades for all the major summer transfers, with each day listed in order of highest fee.
All fees are reported unless confirmed with an asterisk (*).
July 5
LIONEL MESSI
Free
Inter Miami: A+
When the MLS secondary window opens on July 5, Messi will be an Inter Miami player. It seems incredible, but the 35-year-old GOAT made it clear why he didn't want to return to Barcelona or head to Saudi Arabia after leaving PSG this summer. America is a new challenge and one he will relish. It was a complex deal to pull off, but David Beckham-owned Miami did it with a little help!
July 1
JUDE BELLINGHAM
€103m ($110m)*
Dortmund: C+
Real Madrid: A+
OK, Dortmund signed him for €30m and have made a huge profit in three years as he has become one of the best midfielders around. But the fee still seems on the small side for a 19-year-old with such potential. A 30% add-on clause makes the total outlay only €134m, which puts him fifth in the all-time list. Dortmund surely could have got at least a baseline fee of around €120m, with add-ons up to €150m.
A wonderful deal for Madrid, who beat out Man City, Liverpool and every other top club in Europe. Their midfield is set up for the next decade, and they've landed a generational talent who will surely become a world star in LaLiga.
PEDRO PORRO
€45m (£39.5m, $48.7m)
Sporting CP: A
Tottenham: B+
Sporting triggered Porro's release clause of €8.5m after a two-year loan last summer and have now made a huge profit, as they held out for his release clause of €45m. It's classic good business from one of the best clubs in the transfer market.
Tottenham have spent big to sign the 23-year-old right-wing-back, having had him on loan since January, but a bit more forward planning could have seen them avoid such a big outlay. Still, he impressed as the season wore on and he should do well under Ange Postecoglou.
BENJAMIN SESKO
€24m ($25m)
FC Salzburg: B
RB Leipzig: A-
Salzburg are a feeder club; they sign young talent, then move them to Leipzig for a bigger fee when they impress. Sesko's 18 goals in 41 games have shown what the teenage striker is capable of and he has the potential to go far.
Leipzig ensured they had this deal wrapped up last year, as Man United and others were sniffing around. It's a good move and the 20-year-old should settle well given the similarities between the two clubs.
KARIM BENZEMA
Free
Al Ittihad: A+
Wow. Nobody expected the 35-year-old Benzema to leave Real Madrid on a free transfer and head to Saudi Arabia. But money talks, and his two-year deal worth €400m was clearly a major factor. Cristiano Ronaldo moving to the league at 37 was one thing, but Benzema is the Ballon d'Or holder. This is huge!
YOURI TIELEMANS
Free
Aston Villa: B+
Given the number of top clubs linked with the Belgium international as soon as Leicester went down, Villa have done very well to snap him up. At 26, Tielemans still has some development potential and was one of Leicester's best players before he struggled this season. Villa are a good club for him to continue his career.
Stewart Robson explains why Alexis Mac Allister's move to Liverpool is a win for all involved.
June 14
ALEXIS MAC ALLISTER
£35m ($44m)
Brighton: C-
Liverpool: B+
If you believed a lot of the reports after the World Cup, Brighton weren't going to let the Argentina midfielder depart for less than £80m. However, it appears he had a release clause in his contract. Though Brighton may net another £20m in add-ons, it's a very cheap way to lose one of their best players.
Liverpool have netted themselves a bargain and can rebuild their midfield with Mac Allister. The 24-year-old was one of the best midfielders in the Premier League last season and should bring a lot to Jurgen Klopp's side with his passing, creativity and pressing.
JOAO PEDRO
£30m ($38m)
Watford: B-
Brighton: B
The Brazilian forward scored 11 goals in 35 Championship games last season, but it wasn't enough to help Watford to promotion. Could the club have held out for more money from a side like Newcastle? Possibly. But Watford needed to let him go.
Brighton are transfer market gurus, so when they make a move it usually works out. This time, though, they have splashed out a club-record fee. The 21-year-old is certainly an exciting prospect and his transfer could be worth twice that amount in a couple of years if he succeeds on the south coast.
Hazlewood looking to play 'at least three' Ashes Tests
"If we go back a few years, I would have said [I expected to play] all six [Tests]. But I guess it's a little bit different now, based on the last two years of history," he said. "I think three would be nice pass and four is probably a tick. Any more than that is great. Any less then I am probably a little disappointed again.
"But I think when you have that depth for each game you [can] really go as hard as you can and then reassess after the game because you always have someone of high quality sitting on the pine and ready to go. So it's a great position to be in for the team."
Two years, four Tests for Hazlewood
A very cautious approach was taken with Hazlewood for the Test Championship final after two years which has seen him play just four Test matches. He returned home from the tour of India with an Achilles injury caused by soft run-ups at the SCG in his previous comeback Test in January and was then withdrawn from the final after leaving the IPL early with side soreness.
"I think if it was a one-off game I probably could have played," he said. "[But] with what's coming up now, it just would have been too big of a risk. This sets me up nicely if I'm selected for game one, then we have a nice rest after and we'll take it from there."
Captain Pat Cummins has stated that he wants to play all six Tests on this trip. Meanwhile, Scott Boland believes that it will be tough unless a couple of the games have early finishes. Having missed so much Test cricket of late, Hazlewood is desperate to get his place back but also has tempered expectations.
"Think having those [fast bowling] options helps that mindset," he said. "No doubt you still want to play every game and it's hard to sit on the sidelines and watch. No shying away from that.
"But potentially if you [have] back-to-back Tests and you bowl 50 overs and you've someone [like] Boland, Starc or myself on the bench, fresh and ready to go for the next Test, it makes those conversations a little bit easier. The guys are a little bit more open to it to create that longevity. Perhaps the all-format guys are more open to it than others."
He also acknowledged the depth of Australia's attack means that bowlers don't push themselves beyond breaking point. "You might miss one or two games with a niggle rather than pushing it and missing three or four months," he said.
Hazlewood's outstanding English record
With 222 Test wickets and 36 at 23.58 in England, Hazlewood does not need to prove his credentials, although there are perhaps questions marks around his durability even though coaches and medical staff have been at pains not to link his run of injuries (four of the Tests he missed were also due to conditions in Pakistan and Sri Lanka).
He admitted to wanting to make statement when he returned against South Africa in January where he bowled impressively and found reverse swing, only for his exertions as part of a two-man pace attack to sideline him again, but now the overriding emotion is one of anticipation.
"I probably felt that maybe a little bit more in Sydney leading into that game. I think in England, my record is pretty good. Pretty confident in these conditions," he said. "What's exciting is probably what England have done the last 18 months. It's what a few of us need to get the best out of ourselves."
England still get out the same way
With India having been dealt with to secure the World Test Championship, Australia's quick bowlers will sit down over the next 48 overs to map out their plans for England's Bazballing batting line-up but they won't be reinventing the wheel. They are familiar with the majority of the players, although the statistic about Ben Duckett only leaving eight deliveries so far in his Test cricket pricked Hazelwood's interest.
"That's a quite amazing," he said. "Obviously he likes bat on ball. So [we will] try and use that to our advantage as best we can.
"While we are bowling at their batsmen it's about sticking to that six to eight metre length. Think what we've seen through the numbers in the last 18 months to two years, they are still getting out in similar ways, they are just scoring more runs quickly in between. So it's about sticking to that line and length. If they hit us off that for five Tests then that's good for them."
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo
Best strategies for athletes to maximize performance
Getting the most out of a workout depends on how you’re training and conditioning the body. Join us as we explore some of the best training and conditioning tips for athletes to maximise performance.
Training and Conditioning in Athletics: Strategies for Maximizing Performance
As an athlete, performing at an optimal level is an intricate blend of training technique, biomechanical function, and emotional factors. Preparing yourself physically and mentally to achieve optimum performance in a sport of your choice is key to being a great athlete. But training for max performance is different for different athletes.
Factors That Affect an Athlete’s Ability to Perform
As an athlete, if you wish to perform at your peak, then you must be aware of factors that can influence your performance. Several factors influence an athlete’s ability to perform. And blending these factors in all dimensions, especially during training, can influence your results significantly. Note that the amount of influence each factor has differs based on the athlete. These factors include:
- Muscle strength
- Body proportions
- Endurance
- Flexibility
Muscle Strength
Research indicates that the stronger an athlete’s muscles, the better the athlete performs. Greater muscle strength is often associated with force-time characteristics. Athletes with muscle strength perform superiorly in sports skills such as jumping and sprinting etc. Also, when an athlete has much muscle strength, it reduces the risk of injury.
Body Proportions
Another factor influencing an athlete’s speed, power, and endurance is their body proportion. Body proportion is described as the morphological scale of different body parts against one another. There is a significant variation when it comes to body proportions in individuals. As such, individuals with certain body proportions will perform better in certain types of sports than others. For example, an individual with a lean body will perform better in a sport where speed is involved, like long-distance racing.
Endurance
Athletes need to build endurance as it can influence their ability to compete optimally. Sports performance training like jogging, swimming, and light gym exercises helps to build endurance. Particularly building muscle endurance helps enhance an athlete’s ability to fight internal fatigue to perform better. Endurance training teaches the muscle to contract efficiently when under stress.
Flexibility
Flexibility is another factor that should be given more attention but can significantly affect an athlete’s performance. Flexibility promotes efficient movement and prevents incorrect body alignment, which can be an added advantage in competition. When an athlete is flexible, it improves balance and reduces the risk of injury.
When competing in a sport, you are not only competing with your personal best but with other athletes with different goals. At the end of the day, there are quite a few similarities between an athlete and a gambler. A typical gambler will find a free £5 no deposit casino UK alluring. In the same way, an athlete will find the right training guide useful. The more your train as an athlete, the better your chances are of being victorious.
Why are Training and Conditioning Important In Athletics?
Often, we think of the body and mind as different things. But in reality, our body and mind are interconnected. This explains why when physical health problems are present, it increases the risk of mental health problems and vice versa. So as an elite athlete, training both the body and mind offers several benefits:
| Sports Training on | Benefits |
| Physical Health | Improves coordination
Promotes balance and efficient movement Reduces risk of injury Strengthen muscle, bone and joints Stabilises blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar level Keeps the blood oxygenated |
| Mental Health | Helps with stress-related illnesses
Alleviates depression and anxiety Boost mood Helps fight behaviour that leads to addiction Leads to overall wellbeing |
Strategies for Maximizing Sports Performance
Regarding training and conditioning, there is no one-size-fits-all approach for athletes. As such, elite athletes need professional personal training to customise a training plan suited for their body type. However, here are some essential strategies incorporated into the training plan for most athletes:
- Before workout
- During workout
- After workout
Before Workout
So, before hitting the gym, one of the first things an athlete should consider is nutrition. The type of food and when the food is consumed are critical to an athlete’s success. So, work closely with a nutritionist specialising in sports nutrition to customise a food plan to ensure the body gets the right amount of macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fat) pre-workout.
While ensuring macronutrient needs are met, the body also needs micronutrients. As such, taking the right supplements is helpful. These supplements provide the body with all the vitamins and minerals it needs. For example, whey protein and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are popular pre-workout to improve blood. Finally, pre-workout stretching can help prepare the body for the workout by loosening tendons and muscles.
During Workout
Honing your athletic abilities in your sport of choice means choosing the right workout. For example, functional exercises are great for improving different muscle groups. Drills are useful for professional athletes who want to improve their reaction time in different scenarios. Drills repeat the same movement over and over to improve neuromuscular reaction.
Also, as you work out, try utilising muscle confusion. Muscle confusion is the idea that if you change your workout, you can shock the muscle to produce better results. However, muscle memory is also useful as it helps the body master certain movement. Finally, athletes can also focus on conditioning exercises like squats, box jumps, lunges, and push-ups to train the body to succeed at an activity even when it’s tired.
After Workout
Ensure during and after every workout session, you track your progress. And after every workout resting and recovery is an essential parts of the progress journey. An after-exercise routine is vital to your sports performance and fitness gains. So as you train hard, always give yourself time to rest.
Typically, the muscle needs about 24 to 48 hours to rebuild itself. Working out before the muscle has had adequate time to rebuild and repair itself will lead to tissue breakdown, which can be very painful, causing discomfort. So, it’s vital not to work out the same muscle group two days in a row.
Conclusion
In summary, an athlete’s performance depends on how the athlete trains. As you can see from this guide, there’s more to an athlete training than the amount of time put into training. Nutrition, the type of exercise performed and the amount of rest taken are key to achieving optimal results.
Warren Gatland would have turned down Wales had he known full problems
Warren Gatland has admitted he would not have returned to the Wales job had he known the true scale of the problems facing Welsh rugby.
It has been the most turbulent season of the professional era in Wales.
Gatland believes that adversity can galvanise his team at this autumn's World Cup in France.
However, the Wales coach said of the several high-profile withdrawals from his plans, it is the loss of young centre Joe Hawkins that hurts the most.
Gatland told the Scrum V podcast he had little idea of the mess he had walked into when he returned in December for a second stint as head coach.
A Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) sexism scandal, the chief executive resigning, coaches being sacked or suspended, Wales players threatening to strike over contractual chaos, a struggling national team and continued regional failures.
All of this has been played out against a grim financial backdrop with the four professional sides facing more hard-hitting austerity measures.
"When I came into the Six Nations, I had no idea. I didn't realise a lot of the things that were going on and the issues that were behind rugby and the squad and the players," he said.
"At the time if I had known, I would have made a different decision and probably gone somewhere else.
"Welsh rugby's going to go through [more] pain from a financial perspective for the regions.
"These issues were here before, but there's no doubt that the success of the national team in the past probably papered over the cracks.
"Now, probably for the better, they have come to the fore and there is a chance to focus on the things that needed fixing.
"There's a great chance for us to have a really positive reset on a number of things.
"I feel like we're in that place now that's exciting with some of the young talent that's coming through."
Player withdrawals
Gatland named a 54-strong extended training squad in May, but has already seen four players players pull out, while a fifth - Rhys Carre - was released.
He revealed Alun Wyn Jones' retirement was not a surprise following "constant discussions" on the subject since the Six Nations, while injuries had left Justin Tipuric feeling unable to compete for a World Cup place.
Gatland said: "Justin said his body wasn't 100% and didn't think he could get through World Cup preparation.
"But they all understood that while they may have been first choice in the past, there was no guarantee they're going to make the World Cup squad. There's a lot of competition.
"It reminds me of 2011 when we had a group of older, experienced players and a young generation that came through and were absolutely outstanding. However the Joe Hawkins one is disappointing."
Hawkins was ruled ineligible for Wales following his decision to join Exeter Chiefs after his international debut. Had he been uncapped, like Cardiff's Gloucester-bound centre Max Llewellyn, he could still have played.
Hawkins, 20, was Gatland's first-choice number 12 during the Six Nations, but said the "turbulence" in Welsh rugby that meant players losing their jobs had "reinforced" his choice to leave the Ospreys.
Gatland said: "That's the one that really disappoints me. The others I can cope with because we've got depth in certain positions and people make those personal decisions for their families.
"But I was just really surprised that a 20-year-old would throw away the chance to be involved in international rugby, particularly a World Cup, which would have been huge for his development.
"Joe was a player that we were looking at for the future as a number 10. Neil Jenkins spoke to him and said: 'I just don't get it. Why are you giving away this chance? You've got a Lions tour in a couple of years that you could potentially be a part of.'"
Also withdrawing are Rhys Webb, who turned down an offer from Ospreys, with Biarritz strongly linked to the 40-cap scrum-half, and lock Cory Hill, who will now remain in Japan.
However Gatland has left the door open for Hill's return for next year's Six Nations.
He said: "Cory had finished in Japan and was desperate to find a region in Wales, but that didn't eventuate. There was nothing in England or France and he's ended up going back to Japan. He didn't have a choice.
"Hopefully he can come back around Christmas and there might be something available for him that he can pick up and potentially be available for the Six Nations."
World Cup prospects
With the loss of three former captains in Jones, Tipuric and Hill, Gatland said he may now opt for co-leaders at France 2023.
Six Nations skipper Ken Owens may not be guaranteed a starting spot, aged 36, while Dan Biggar is another option.
However Gatland insisted he remains upbeat over Wales' chances at the finals, despite the odds seemingly stacked against them.
"What gives me an edge or a buzz is when the expectations aren't there or the challenges appear to be greater. That drives me even more," he said.
"We can't forget about what's happened in the past and there are a lot of things that have been addressed and questions asked.
"If some of the Welsh media can keep writing us off that would be great because they're doing us a huge favour.
"It's allowing us to come in under the radar and there's nothing the Welsh boys love better than being written off and backs-to-the-wall, they tend to respond to that."
Wales' updated preliminary Rugby World Cup squad
Forwards: Corey Domachowski (Cardiff), Kemsley Mathias (Scarlets), Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Gareth Thomas (Ospreys), Elliot Dee (Dragons), Ryan Elias (Scarlets), Dewi Lake (Ospreys), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff), Will Davies-King (Cardiff), Tomas Francis (Ospreys), Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Rugby), Henry Thomas (Montpellier), Adam Beard (Ospreys), Ben Carter (Dragons), Rhys Davies (Ospreys), Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs), Will Rowlands (Dragons), Christ Tshiunza (Exeter Chiefs), Teddy Williams (Cardiff), Taine Basham (Dragons) Taulupe Faletau (Cardiff), Dan Lydiate (Ospreys), Josh Macleod (Scarlets), Jac Morgan (Ospreys), Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons).
Backs: Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Kieran Hardy (Scarlets), Tomos Williams (Cardiff), Gareth Anscombe (Ospreys), Dan Biggar (Toulon), Sam Costelow (Scarlets), Owen Williams (Ospreys), Mason Grady (Cardiff), Max Llewellyn (Cardiff), George North (Ospreys), Joe Roberts (Scarlets), Nick Tompkins (Saracens), Johnny Williams (Scarlets), Keiran Williams (Ospreys), Josh Adams (Cardiff), Alex Cuthbert (Ospreys), Rio Dyer (Dragons), Cai Evans (Ospreys), Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets), Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester), Tom Rogers (Scarlets), Liam Williams (Cardiff).
LOS ANGELES – As Stanford senior Barclay Brown struck some putts on Los Angeles Country Club’s ninth green on Tuesday afternoon, a familiar voice pierced the air.
“Hey, Barc!” said Cardinal head coach Conrad Ray as he rolled a ball toward Brown. The Englishman had just shanked the scuffed Titleist over near a grandstand and some trees right of the green, and Ray had dutifully retrieved it.
The job of a coach never stops.
But why would it? Especially considering Ray has four active players teeing it up in this week’s U.S. Open, a number that is believed to be a record for college programs at a major championship.
On Tuesday, all four Cardinal – Brown, rising seniors Michael Thorbjornsen and Karl Vilips, and junior Alexander Yang – spent a few hours together dissecting LACC’s front nine – and squaring off in a friendly match. Last week, the foursome had earned their U.S. Open tickets via four different final qualifiers across the country. Now, they were days away from making history.
“It almost feels like a normal college event,” Thorbjornsen said. “Like we’re all practicing together, playing a quick nine. A big thing out here, whether you’re playing any professional tournament or PGA Tour event or major, it’s important to get comfortable, and when you’re playing with guys who you’ve played with for the past few years, it definitely eases you up.”
Thorbjornsen is the star Card, likely to rise to No. 2 in Wednesday’s updated World Amateur Golf Ranking. Not only did he win twice this season, at a loaded Olympia Fields event in the fall and the Pac-12 Championship this spring, but he also boasts quite the USGA pedigree, having won the 2018 U.S. Junior and qualified for two previous U.S. Opens, in 2019, when he made the cut at Pebble Beach, and last year at The Country Club. He medaled at his final qualifier a week ago in Summit, New Jersey. And then there was the solo-fourth performance last summer at the Travelers Championship, which he’ll return to next week, one of two upcoming sponsor exemptions (John Deere being the other).
With so much attention on him at Brookline, where he competed just miles from his hometown and drew countless comparisons to Francus Ouimet before missing the cut, Thorbjornsen was looking forward to keeping a lower profile heading into this year’s championship.
“Last year was a lot,” Thorbjornsen said. “We had that first tee time, did a lot of media. It feels good to come here and almost be a nobody again. But hopefully still make some noise, too.”
Vilips knows a thing or two about the spotlight. He arrived at Stanford with an impressive junior record and a massive YouTube following. But injuries and Thorbjornsen’s rise have seen Vilips shed a lot of that extra attention. He had an indifferent start to his college career, at one point even entering the transfer portal before deciding to remain at Cardinal two summers ago, but this past season, he enjoyed his most consistent campaign yet, notching six top-20s and notching a T-22 at the NCAA Championship.
“I’ve been fortunate in a way to not have gotten off to such an awesome start coming out of junior golf and having to rebuild my game from the ground up a little bit,” Vilips said, “so it was definitely a little humbling first couple years. The expectation is probably still there a little bit, but I don’t think about it as much anymore.”
Added Ray: “Sometimes when you have a junior record like Karl did, it really does become about scores and rankings and stuff like that, and I think Karl has grown out of that.”
This is Vilips’ PGA Tour debut, but he feels more prepared than most likely would be in his position. Though he had to withdraw from last week’s Arnold Palmer Cup with a minor back issue, Vilips has a veteran presence on his bag, Colin Swatton, his instructor who used to caddie for Jason Day. Plus, he’s delivered in pressure-packed situations in recent months, from Stanford’s postseason to his U.S. Open qualifier in Rockville, Maryland, where he tied for medalist honors.
“This will obviously be the biggest,” Vilips said. “So, I’m really curious to see how I can handle it.”
Brown is the most seasoned Card, having already opted to return for a fifth year. By then, he’s also hoping to have represented Great Britain and Ireland in a third Walker Cup this September at St. Andrews. It wasn’t the greatest fourth year for Brown, though he is trending, going T-20 at Pac-12s, T-14 at regionals and a team-best T-4 at the NCAA Championship.
“I’ve finally managed to put some rounds together,” Brown said.
Yang can attest to that feeling. Unlike Brown, though, the former Junior President Cupper, who grew up in Newport Beach, about an hour from LACC, has struggled to take hold in the Stanford lineup since stepping on campus two falls ago. He made just four starts this past season and didn’t crack the top 50; in his most recent college event, he was T-117.
Asked to identify the culprit of his struggles, Yang replied, “Everything.”
But not making the postseason travel squad was a blessing in disguise for Yang, who hung back at Siebel, the team’s practice facility, to sharpen a few things up. He also got some reps in an Asher Tour event in Reno, Nevada, and with the Los Angeles qualifier that would Brown advance through full, Yang instead was shipped to Lakewood, Washington, where he earned one of just two U.S. Open tickets.
“We all know on a daily basis how many birdies he can go make and what a talent he is,” Ray said. “To me, it’s no surprise to our camp.”
Before Yang got to college, he received some advice from former Stanford great and current PGA Tour pro Maverick McNealy, who stressed to Yang that he should be keen to learn from each one of his teammates, regardless of their world rank. Sure, it also helped to have Rose Zhang across the hall, but when it comes to his three fellow U.S. Open competitors who currently rep Nerd Nation, Yang sees one major correlation.
“All three just possess this incredible confidence,” Yang said. “You have to have that belief in yourself, and even when things aren’t going right, you have to be able to maintain that belief.”
Case in point: Stanford flirted with a match-play berth at Grayhawk, but ultimately a slow start by Thorbjornsen (he didn’t count the first two rounds), some big numbers and a playoff loss to Arizona State left the Cardinal as the first team out of the knockout portion. Yet, Ray and Co. already talk of that experience as being proud of the fight displayed to even get into that position.
Thornbjornsen hasn't been deterred, either.
“It hurt a lot,” Thorbjornsen said. “You could see it in our last picture. But it feels good that we can all bounce back, be together again, be happy again and enjoy this U.S. Open.”
And regardless of how they each perform, this much is known: The Cardinal will be the only ones able to post a team score.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan 'recuperating from a medical situation'
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan is currently recovering from an unspecified “medical situation,” the Tour announced Tuesday night.
The Tour did not provide any details about the procedure or Monahan’s status.
Chief operating officer Ron Price and Tyler Dennis, the Tour’s executive vice president and president, will lead the day-to-day operations during Monahan’s absence.
It’s been a tumultuous week for the Tour, which last Tuesday announced that it had entered into a partnership with the controversial Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia and the DP World Tour. Monahan said only that they had reached a “framework” agreement to create a new for-profit company, but that many of the details would be ironed out over the coming weeks and months.
Monahan was expected to be at the Tour’s next stop, the Travelers Championship, next week in Connecticut.
Monahan, 53, has been the Tour commissioner since 2017.
“Our thoughts are with Jay and his family during his absence, and we wish him a speedy recovery,” Price and Dennis said in a statement. “We have a strong and experienced leadership team in place, and our priority is to support our players and continue the work underway to further lead the PGA Tour and golf’s future.”
Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford has said elite players need more rest between matches to reduce risk of injury and believes it is "mad" some clubs play around 20 more games per season than others in the same division.
United's 62-game campaign ended with an FA Cup Final defeat to Manchester City, who completed the treble in the 60th game of their season by beating Inter Milan in Saturday's Champions League showpiece.
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That number contrasts markedly with several other Premier League teams -- including Aston Villa, Brentford, Crystal Palace and Everton, who all played 41 times -- and Rashford claimed the disparity is placing excessive strain on the game's biggest players.
After an exhausting fixture list that included the first-ever winter World Cup in the middle of the European season, an international window completes the schedule with England facing Malta and North Macedonia in a Euro 2024 qualification double-header, concluding on Monday.
Asked if the calendar needs looking at, Rashford replied: "To be honest, I think that is evident. It is mad that we were playing at club level against teams that are playing one game a week and we're playing three game a week from November up until we got knocked out of the Europa League. It is difficult but at the same time we are used to doing it. But I don't think it is right."
Pushed on if he'd spoken to other players about the greater risk of injury, Rashford continued: "Not this season but in the earlier stages of my career, I just couldn't make sense of it.
"I know some managers have spoken out about it. But if one team is playing 60 games and another team is playing 38, there needs to be some time for teams playing those 20 extra games to recover and to be able to prepare properly for the game.
"Listen, the players are going to push ourselves to the absolute limits. It is nothing new. So it is not a complaint or a dig, I'm just giving you my honest opinion. I don't think it is correct. I think we should be given more time to recover in between certain games and at different stages of the season as well.
"That's just my personal opinion on it. The players shouldn't have to put ourselves in a position to speak out about something that we're not in control of or are going to make the final decision on."
Rashford withdrew from England's previous squad in March through injury only to then fly to New York for a short break.
Although England boss Gareth Southgate defended Rashford's decision to travel, the 25-year-old faced criticism in some quarters over his commitment to the cause.
While he played at last year's World Cup and the delayed Euro 2020 finals, Rashford's last start in a qualifier came against Kosovo in November 2019.
"I didn't see it [the criticism] until I got home," said Rashford. "Obviously I need time to switch off and recover. So I took a short trip, four days, and then went back to do rehab and just try and get ready as soon as possible.
"Injuries, you can't predict when they are going to happen. Thankfully, I have had very few muscle strains and those type of injuries. Occasionally you do get impact injuries and the majority of my injuries have been that.
"Honestly, I know that I am committed to it 100%. People are going to say what they are going to say. It doesn't really bother me."
Five players from United's fierce rivals Manchester City -- Jack Grealish, Kyle Walker, Kalvin Phillips, Phil Foden and John Stones -- joined up with their England team-mates at St George's Park late on Tuesday and Rashford admitted City's treble celebrations had an effect on him.
"To be honest, it is not nice but at the same time, it is football," he added. "The best team that is consistently playing the best football is going to win the most trophies. They've managed to win three this year and well done to them.
"Obviously, we just move on now. It is up to them to keep it up and up to the rest of us to try and catch them up. Does it give me extra motivation? Yeah, 100%."
Michael Bracewell to miss ODI World Cup with Achilles injury
Afghanistan bowl against Bangladesh who are without Shakib and Tamim
Toss Afghanistan chose to bowl against Bangladesh
Zakir last played against India when he scored a century on debut, while Joy's last Test was in June 2022. Taskin played against India last year, but missed the Ireland Test due to injury.
Bangladesh: 1 Zakir Hasan, 2 Mahmudul Hasan Joy, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Mominul Haque, 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Litton Das (capt & wk), 7 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 8 Taijul Islam, 9 Taskin Ahmed, 10 Shoriful Islam, 11 Ebadot Hossain
Afghanistan: 1 Ibrahim Zadran, 2 Abdul Malik, 3 Rahmat Shah, 4 Hashmatullah Shahidi (capt), 5 Nasir Jamal, 6 Karim Janat, 7 Afsar Zazai (wk), 8 Amir Hamza, 9 Zahir Khan, 10 Nijat Masood, 11 Yamin Ahmadzai
PGA Tour's Monahan sidelined by medical issue
LOS ANGELES -- PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan is recovering from an undisclosed medical situation, according to a joint statement from Monahan and the PGA Tour Policy Board on Tuesday night.
The statement indicated that in Monahan's absence, chief operating officer Ron Price and executive vice president and president Tyler Dennis will take over the "day-to-day operations" of the circuit.
"Jay Monahan informed the PGA Tour Policy Board that he is recuperating from a medical situation," the statement read. "The Board fully supports Jay and appreciates everyone respecting his privacy. [Price and Dennis] will lead the day-to-day operations of the PGA Tour with the assistance of the great team Jay has built, ensuring seamless continuity. We will provide further updates as appropriate."
Monahan, 53, has been under intense scrutiny after the PGA Tour's stunning announcement June 6 that it was forming an alliance with the DP World Tour and the LIV Golf League, which is bankrolled by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. The clandestine deal was orchestrated without the knowledge of PGA Tour members, including members of the Player Advisory Council and the Policy Board.
Human rights groups also have criticized the PGA Tour and Monahan for their sudden about-face regarding Saudi Arabia's entry into men's professional golf.
Monahan took over as PGA Tour commissioner in January 2017, replacing Tim Finchem, who had led the circuit since 1994. Monahan had previously served as deputy commissioner and chief operating officer.
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